vulnerability / NVI-00009059 / Revision 4
joi: quadratic-time split in `string().email({ multiple: true })` allows denial of service
GitHub lists this reviewed advisory for joi, @hapi/joi, joi. Published version ranges and source prerequisites are shown below; this is not an inspection of a visitor’s application.
This report has not inspected your inventory, configuration, deployed build, reachability or evidence. A catalog listing and a severity score do not establish exposure or compromise.
01 / Meaning
Why it matters
Published affected context helps an owner decide what evidence to gather. This report has not examined your application.
7.5 high
GitHub source severity; exploitability and local consequence require separate evidence.
As of · GitHub Advisory Database
7.5 HIGH (3.1)
security-advisories@github.com severity; no combined Null risk score.
0.467%
FIRST EPSS model v2026.06.15; exploitation probability over 30 days, percentile 0.40595. Missing scores are unknown.
As of · FIRST EPSS
02 / Applicability
The affected context
Affected versions, configuration prerequisites and known exclusions are public. Confirm each one against the deployed service.
joi
source listed>= 17.1.1, < 17.13.9
### Summary `Joi.string().email({ multiple: true })` takes quadratic time to split a value that contains a long run of whitespace. One request with 100 KB of spaces blocks the Node.js event loop for several seconds, which causes a denial of service. ### Details When the `multiple` option is set, the `email` rule splits the value into addresses with a regular expression that removes whitespace on each side of the separator: ```js const regex = new RegExp(`\\s*[${options.separator ? escapeRegex(options.separator) : ','}]\\s*`); // ... const emails = options.multiple ? value.split(regex) : [value]; ``` `String.prototype.split` tries a match at each position of the value. At each position inside a whitespace run, the leading `\s*` reads the rest of the run, does not find a separator, and backtracks through all of it. A run of `n` whitespace characters without a separator therefore costs `n²` steps. This applies to the default separator and to all custom `separator` values. The fix lets the leading whitespace match start only at the beginning of a whitespace run, so the split is linear: ```js const regex = new RegExp(`(?:(?<!\\s)\\s+)?[${options.separator ? escapeRegex(options.se
@hapi/joi
source listed>= 16.0.0, <= 17.1.1
### Summary `Joi.string().email({ multiple: true })` takes quadratic time to split a value that contains a long run of whitespace. One request with 100 KB of spaces blocks the Node.js event loop for several seconds, which causes a denial of service. ### Details When the `multiple` option is set, the `email` rule splits the value into addresses with a regular expression that removes whitespace on each side of the separator: ```js const regex = new RegExp(`\\s*[${options.separator ? escapeRegex(options.separator) : ','}]\\s*`); // ... const emails = options.multiple ? value.split(regex) : [value]; ``` `String.prototype.split` tries a match at each position of the value. At each position inside a whitespace run, the leading `\s*` reads the rest of the run, does not find a separator, and backtracks through all of it. A run of `n` whitespace characters without a separator therefore costs `n²` steps. This applies to the default separator and to all custom `separator` values. The fix lets the leading whitespace match start only at the beginning of a whitespace run, so the split is linear: ```js const regex = new RegExp(`(?:(?<!\\s)\\s+)?[${options.separator ? escapeRegex(options.se
joi
source listed>= 18.0.0, < 18.3.1
### Summary `Joi.string().email({ multiple: true })` takes quadratic time to split a value that contains a long run of whitespace. One request with 100 KB of spaces blocks the Node.js event loop for several seconds, which causes a denial of service. ### Details When the `multiple` option is set, the `email` rule splits the value into addresses with a regular expression that removes whitespace on each side of the separator: ```js const regex = new RegExp(`\\s*[${options.separator ? escapeRegex(options.separator) : ','}]\\s*`); // ... const emails = options.multiple ? value.split(regex) : [value]; ``` `String.prototype.split` tries a match at each position of the value. At each position inside a whitespace run, the leading `\s*` reads the rest of the run, does not find a separator, and backtracks through all of it. A run of `n` whitespace characters without a separator therefore costs `n²` steps. This applies to the default separator and to all custom `separator` values. The fix lets the leading whitespace match start only at the beginning of a whitespace run, so the split is linear: ```js const regex = new RegExp(`(?:(?<!\\s)\\s+)?[${options.separator ? escapeRegex(options.se
joi
source listedSEMVER: introduced 17.1.1; fixed 17.13.9
### Summary `Joi.string().email({ multiple: true })` takes quadratic time to split a value that contains a long run of whitespace. One request with 100 KB of spaces blocks the Node.js event loop for several seconds, which causes a denial of service. ### Details When the `multiple` option is set, the `email` rule splits the value into addresses with a regular expression that removes whitespace on each side of the separator: ```js const regex = new RegExp(`\\s*[${options.separator ? escapeRegex(options.separator) : ','}]\\s*`); // ... const emails = options.multiple ? value.split(regex) : [value]; ``` `String.prototype.split` tries a match at each position of the value. At each position inside a whitespace run, the leading `\s*` reads the rest of the run, does not find a separator, and backtracks through all of it. A run of `n` whitespace characters without a separator therefore costs `n²` steps. This applies to the default separator and to all custom `separator` values. The fix lets the leading whitespace match start only at the beginning of a whitespace run, so the split is linear: ```js const regex = new RegExp(`(?:(?<!\\s)\\s+)?[${options.separator ? escapeRegex(options.se
@hapi/joi
source listedSEMVER: introduced 16.0.0; last_affected 17.1.1
### Summary `Joi.string().email({ multiple: true })` takes quadratic time to split a value that contains a long run of whitespace. One request with 100 KB of spaces blocks the Node.js event loop for several seconds, which causes a denial of service. ### Details When the `multiple` option is set, the `email` rule splits the value into addresses with a regular expression that removes whitespace on each side of the separator: ```js const regex = new RegExp(`\\s*[${options.separator ? escapeRegex(options.separator) : ','}]\\s*`); // ... const emails = options.multiple ? value.split(regex) : [value]; ``` `String.prototype.split` tries a match at each position of the value. At each position inside a whitespace run, the leading `\s*` reads the rest of the run, does not find a separator, and backtracks through all of it. A run of `n` whitespace characters without a separator therefore costs `n²` steps. This applies to the default separator and to all custom `separator` values. The fix lets the leading whitespace match start only at the beginning of a whitespace run, so the split is linear: ```js const regex = new RegExp(`(?:(?<!\\s)\\s+)?[${options.separator ? escapeRegex(options.se
joi
source listedSEMVER: introduced 18.0.0; fixed 18.3.1
### Summary `Joi.string().email({ multiple: true })` takes quadratic time to split a value that contains a long run of whitespace. One request with 100 KB of spaces blocks the Node.js event loop for several seconds, which causes a denial of service. ### Details When the `multiple` option is set, the `email` rule splits the value into addresses with a regular expression that removes whitespace on each side of the separator: ```js const regex = new RegExp(`\\s*[${options.separator ? escapeRegex(options.separator) : ','}]\\s*`); // ... const emails = options.multiple ? value.split(regex) : [value]; ``` `String.prototype.split` tries a match at each position of the value. At each position inside a whitespace run, the leading `\s*` reads the rest of the run, does not find a separator, and backtracks through all of it. A run of `n` whitespace characters without a separator therefore costs `n²` steps. This applies to the default separator and to all custom `separator` values. The fix lets the leading whitespace match start only at the beginning of a whitespace run, so the split is linear: ```js const regex = new RegExp(`(?:(?<!\\s)\\s+)?[${options.separator ? escapeRegex(options.se
03 / Response
What to do next
- investigate
Identify the exact component and deployed version, examine the linked publisher’s conditions, and retain evidence of any mitigation.
Confirm current vendor support, compatibility and deployment evidence. This report has not tested a fix in your system. FIRST EPSS
- vendor patch
The original advisory lists fixed boundaries 17.13.9 for joi. Confirm the publisher’s latest guidance.
Confirm current vendor support, compatibility and deployment evidence. This report has not tested a fix in your system. GitHub Advisory Database via OSV
- vendor patch
The original advisory lists fixed boundaries 18.3.1 for joi. Confirm the publisher’s latest guidance.
Confirm current vendor support, compatibility and deployment evidence. This report has not tested a fix in your system. GitHub Advisory Database via OSV
A fixed release is not deployment evidence.
Check current vendor support and compatibility. After making a change, verify the deployed build and relevant runtime conditions. Keep the evidence, owner and time. An updated lockfile alone does not prove what is running.
04 / Limits
What this report cannot establish
- Customer inventory, deployment, reachability and exploitation have not been inspected.
- NVD lastModified does not establish freshness of every associated CPE record.
05 / Provenance
Sources you can inspect
Each assertion retains its source. Mirrored records may repeat one underlying publisher; additional links are not independent corroboration.
- GHSA-4528-x5fx-h6hg ↗
GitHub Advisory Database · vendor advisory
Observed . GitHub Advisory Database; CC-BY-4.0. Each advisory links its original attribution. Null normalizes fields.
- GHSA-4528-x5fx-h6hg ↗
GitHub Advisory Database via OSV · vendor advisory
Observed . GitHub-origin advisory, CC-BY-4.0; OSV is an aggregate copy, not independent corroboration.
- CVE-2026-118772 ↗
NIST National Vulnerability Database · official catalog
Observed . This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.
- CVE-2026-118772 ↗
FIRST EPSS · official catalog
Observed . FIRST EPSS; probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, not local compromise. Dataset date/model retained; FIRST services terms apply.
Public revision history
Only published revisions appear here. Routine fetches do not create a material-change event.
- Revision 4 ·
Source facts changed; compare the preserved prior revision.
- Revision 3 ·
Dated EPSS estimate updated; this is not a new disclosure or proof of exploitation.
- Revision 2 ·
Source facts changed; compare the preserved prior revision.
- Revision 1 ·
First indexed by Null; source disclosure date is shown separately.